Power tongs are frequently used in the oil and gas industry for thread connecting and disconnecting oil field tubulars such as those commonly referred to as casing, tubing and as “sucker” rods. Power tongs include a tong assembly and a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly typically includes a hydraulic motor and an operator valve. The tong assembly typically includes either a closed-head tong or an open-head tong having a jaw which engages the tubulars. When the jaw of the tong assembly is clamped onto the tubulars, the transmission assembly causes the tong assembly to rotate in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to either thread or unthread the tubular.
Closed-head tongs have an opening in the center of the tong. Therefore, to use the closed-head tong, the tong must be placed over the end of the sucker rod such that the end of the sucker rod passes through the center of the tong. As a result of the closed-head tong having to be placed over the end of the sucker rod, closed head tongs are not preferred in many situations. Open-head tongs, on the other hand, have an open slot in the tong that allows the open-head tong to be placed laterally around the sucker rod.
The transmission assemblies associated with closed-head power tongs typically produce a greater torque output than the transmission assemblies associated with open-face power tongs. As a result, there are some instances when the closed-face power tong must be used due to the higher torque output of the transmission assembly.
As power tongs are sold with a tong assembly and a transmission assembly, there is a high cost associated with owning both a closed-head power tong assembly and an open-head power tong assembly.
It can be seen that a new open-head power tong assembly is needed. In addition, a new method of making an open-head power tong is needed. Such an open-head power tong should provide the mounting advantages of an open-head power tong along with the reliability, power and performance advantages of a closed-head power tong. Moreover, a method of making an open-head power tong should provide for easily assembling an open head power tong. The present disclosure addresses these as well as other problems associated with open-head power tongs.